Human skin ages. During the aging process the skin experiences cellular breakdown resulting in a loss of thickness, formation of purpura (purple bruising), ease of tearing, and difficulty in wound healing, e.g., due to loss of collagen and fibroblasts.
Aging of the skin is exasperated by exposure to the sun's ultraviolet radiation. Such exposure facilitates the production of free radicals especially reactive oxygen species (ROS). These ROS species expedite the aging processes of the skin and collagen breakdown.
Cause of skin aging at the cellular level is a loss of connectivity by the collagen-stabilized fibroblast cells which connect each skin cell to the adjacent skin cells, and the subsequent formation of metalloproteinase-9. Collagen typically has the highest concentration of any protein found within the human body. Collagen is composed of three amino acid chains, bound together by sulfur.
Certain compounds, such as retinoids in pharmaceutical concentrations, have been historically used to help alleviate these conditions. Unfortunately, retinoid compounds present difficulties to the skin such as inflammation (redness), and burning and peeling when used in higher concentrations.
Low non-pharmaceutical concentrations of trans Retinol and Tetinolaldehyde are commonly utilized in Over the Counter (OTC) ointments, lotions and salves and claim to support collagen and procollagen production while suppressing collagen breakdown within the human body. However, the results are minimally effective.